The Shy Newcomer
by Durotos
Summary: Claire has a hard time adjusting to life in mineral town. Will Claire find a friend that can keep her from moving back to the city? Please read and review! Check my profile for author's notes!
1. A New Home

Claire wasn't the type to brood, but today was different. She had only been in Mineral Town for a few weeks, but she was already starting to have second thoughts about staying. She knew, however, that she didn't have a choice—the mayor had tricked her into giving him all of her money for the run-down farm. Just thinking about the scheme angered her, and it was the only time she had resorted to using violence.

_But he deserved it_, Claire gritted her teeth.

Back at the city, her apartment had the convenience of a refrigerator, a shower, a wardrobe full of clothes. In the excitement of owning her own farm, Claire had stupidly sold off all of her possessions so that she could afford the property. She was now reduced to the bare essentials- her house that contained a bed and television, along with a small side table. But she also had her most valued possessions: tools to work the land.

Unfortunately, this situation left her with nothing to wear but the clothes on her back. The frustrated farmer would go down to bathe at the spring late at night and jump in fully clothed. She would then hang her clothes to dry in her house as she slept. Claire was sure that she would make enough money for a new set of clothes before cooler weather set in.

Claire had also been left with the stables and housing for her animals, but they all stood dusty and empty. Of course, she always had her loyal dog, Koro, who would sit at the foot of her bed as she stifled sobs, wallowing in self-pity.

And that was exactly what she was doing tonight, she realized as she hugged her knees to her chest. It was not only her financial situation that bothered her, or her lack of friends.

It was _him_.

She had met him on her first day in her new home. Stubborn, yet shy, the young man quickly caught her interest. The first thing that she noticed was the color of his icy blue eyes, although he had often hidden them from the world under his hat.

He worked hard all day, with metal and heavy tools; he looked very strong. Claire felt a certain kind of envy that he was able to work so swiftly, but she was painfully unaware of the lack of quality in his work. She didn't care that he was only an apprentice. Something about the way he used his anger to fuel his work intrigued her, and she couldn't keep herself from coming into the inn every night to visit with him and bring him pieces of copper ore (she had to save the silver for selling). Gray was always fairly quiet. He accepted his gifts with a simple "Thank You", and Claire would find herself staring at him until the both of them turned pink. It was at this time Gray would suggest she go back to the farm. Claire always silently wished that he would offer to walk her home, but he never did.

The young farmer sat with her worn quilt wrapped around her, as she stared up at the ceiling. It had been three weeks since she had met him, and he still avoided using her name, making Claire assume he couldn't remember it. How could he not remember when after a few weeks, he was the subject of a majority of her thoughts? Claire knew that she should talk to other people and make some friends, but what if no one else could remember her name? She didn't want to admit it to herself, but she was quite shy. She preferred others to make the first move. The young woman had introduced herself to Gray, but what good had that done her? He would still walk every day, almost religiously, to the library at one o'clock. Claire knew that he didn't visit the library just for the books. She had gone inside one afternoon to see what was so interesting about that library. She soon learned that it was not _what_ was interesting, but _who_ was interesting.

"Hello. You must be the new farmer." The young librarian smiled politely, adjusting her glasses on the bridge of her nose.

Claire nodded and forced a small smile on her face, trying not to stare at the person standing next to the young woman.

"My name is Mary, and I am the librarian here. If you have any questions, just let me know."

Claire nodded dumbly.

"Oh, and this is my friend, Gray," Mary gestured toward the blacksmith, who was standing rather close beside her behind the desk. The pair had a large book open, and Gray seemed to be marking a spot with his finger. The young man looked up at Claire.

"Hello… Claire." The farmer was surprised he knew her name.

"Oh, you two have met already?" Mary smiled.

Claire nodded, unable to speak. Overwhelmed by the apparent close friendship between the two, Claire reddened. "Well, I was just stopping by," she said quietly. "I have some work to do, so I'll stop by longer some other time," she managed to squeak out.

Mary frowned, genuinely upset to see Claire leave so soon. "That's too bad. See you around."

"Yeah." Claire's voice cracked. She turned around and left the building, afraid to look back.

Claire knew that she was being silly, but she found herself unable to help it. She had run home and thrown herself on the bed, tears streaming down her face. Why did she care so much about the blacksmith anyway? When did he ever show an interest in her? Mary seemed like a sweet girl, but Claire knew she was already dismissing the librarian as a friend because of her connection to Gray. She was being stupid. Stupid and immature.

It was at that point that Claire decided to lay low for a while. She spent all of her days at the farm, and only went to town to buy seeds. Occasionally, she would bump into a few of the townspeople, and they all seemed slightly annoyed that she had been ignoring them by not introducing herself for so long.

But a person can only stay alone for so long. Originally a middle child, Claire found it strange to be alone all day and that quickly turned to loneliness. Of course, Koro followed her like a shadow, but it was human contact that the young woman craved. She missed siblings. She missed friends. But most of all, she missed simply being able to have a close conversation with someone.

Claire shivered under her blanket and made a silent promise to herself. Tomorrow, she would take care of this.

**Sorry for the short chapter, but it is just an introduction. Please let me know what you think! Reviews are welcome, and they help a whole lot! Updates very soon!**


	2. A Few New Faces

**Sorry about taking forever to update, but between mountains of homework and the death of a relative, I've found little time to write. Please let me know what you think. **

**Also be sure to check out my profile for updates and author's notes!**

**Liz**

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Claire awoke the next morning with a start, in a much more positive mood. It was silly of her to avoid the whole town just because Gray lived there. Besides, maybe Gray wasn't a lost cause after all. Maybe Mary was his cousin or something. Claire nodded her head excitedly. Maybe she was just a friend of the family. Perhaps Claire still had a chance.

Exhilarated by her newfound confidence, the farmer practically jumped out of bed. She stepped into her clothes and brushed out her hair as Koro played with her untied bootlaces. The young farmer scratched the dog's head absentmindedly. There was a lot she wanted to get done today.

Claire grabbed her watering can and stepped outside into the fresh spring air. She filled it up at her little pond and proceeded to water her turnips and potatoes. One potato was finally ready! She eagerly picked the tuber and shoved it in her bag. She was growing rather tired of flavorless bamboo shoots and colored grass when she didn't own any seasonings. In an attempt to give them more flavor, Claire had tried adding honey to them and immediately regretted it. Just remembering the incident caused the girl to gag.

Claire smiled to herself. At least she would have a little more variety for dinner.

The young woman watered the remainder of her plants- two plots of turnips- and grabbed her basket. It had cost her a large amount of money, but she was able to carry much more with it, and it saved her numerous trips to the shipping bin.

She carried it toward the mountains, filling it with bamboo shoots and colored grass as she went. If she kept up the hard work, she might be able to buy a spare change of clothes by the second week of the summer season. She hadn't given much thought to what the new outfit would look like, but she was looking forward to changing into a fresh outfit at the beginning of the day. On cooler nights, she would wake up in the morning to a slightly damp set of clothes, which was uncomfortable, to say the least.

Claire's stomach twisted in anticipation as she stepped inside of the spring mines. This was where she usually picked up her silver and copper for shipping, but it was also where she picked up gifts for Gray. Claire swung her hammer. Cheap ore. Sighing, she tossed it off to the side, and tried another rock. Cheap ore. After half an hour, Claire had collected only two pieces of copper and one silver. Frustrated, she decided not to waste her energy on something so fruitless.

The farmer stepped outside of the dim cave. The sun had risen to its rightful place in the sky, and its beams danced on top of the spring's water. A young woman stood at the edge of the small pond, staring at her reflection. Claire had normally snuck past the girl on her way out, either too nervous to introduce herself, or not wanting to bother her. The brunette whirled around and caught sight of Claire.

"Good morning!"

Claire hesitantly took a step near the girl. "Good morning."

"You must be the new farmer girl that everyone's been talking about," she played with a long strand of brown hair. "My name is Karen. My father runs the supermarket."

Claire nodded politely. "I-I'm Claire."

"It's nice to meet you, Claire. Have you had a proper tour of the town yet? I'd be happy to show you around."

"Oh, thank you very much, but I am quite busy right now," the farmer forced a small smile on her face.

"Maybe tomorrow?"

"Er-okay… Maybe."

Without so much as a goodbye, Claire quickly walked back to her farm, her stomach in knots. She had been toying with the idea of going into town today, but when someone suggested it, it caused her to panic. Claire knew that she had been avoiding the town for long enough, but the thought of so many unfamiliar people made her nauseous. She hated introductions with a passion: the awkwardness, the fake smiles, the forced politeness. After emptying her basket into the shipping bin, she stepped into her house and threw herself on her bed, holding her stomach.

But it would only get worse the more she put it off.

Claire sat up. She didn't need to pity herself. A sudden idea gave her a burst of hope. The Harvest Goddess was always there. She would always listen to anyone's troubles. Almost giddy with excitement, she headed for the church.

It was a simple building, practically identical to the church she attended as a child—two rows of pews with an aisle in the middle. A small door to the left of the alter was where the confessions were usually heard. Feeling she was finally around something familiar, she quickly turned the knob and entered. Feeling especially bold, Claire walked past the privacy screen and took a seat across from the pastor, who warmly greeted her with a handshake.

"Hello. My name is Carter. I am the pastor here at church. Are you the new farmer?"

"Yes, my name is Claire," the young woman smiled.

"It is very nice to meet you. If you ever need any help or guidance, I will always be here."

How good it felt for someone to say that! Claire was so happy she could've hugged him.

"Is there anything I can help you with?"

Claire's confidence suddenly deflated and she wiped her clammy hands on her thighs.

"Is something bothering you?" Carter asked gently.

"I came to confess." Claire played with her fingers, refusing to look up at him.

"Alright."

Claire could feel her face get hot. "No one in town seems to like me," she managed to squeak out.

The pastor was silent for a moment, then he looked up at her. "Have you been mean or unkind toward them?"

Claire shook her head, her lower lip quivering.

"Well, I have an idea," Carter stood up from his seat. "There is someone who I would like you to meet."

Claire nervously stood up and followed Carter as he cracked the confessional door open, peeking out into the church. Carter gestured toward a young man in the front pew. His shaggy brown bangs hung in his eyes as he stared down at his feet.

"Cliff is new to town, just like you," Carter smiled. "Unfortunately, he is very shy. I was wondering if you would do me a favor and become his friend."

Claire's face reddened. After all of her troubles introducing herself to people, how did Carter expect her to befriend someone so quickly? Especially someone who was also shy?

The young woman peeked out of the slightly opened door. What if he didn't want to speak to her? Swallowing her fears, Claire fully opened the door and stepped toward the young man, her feet as heavy as bricks.

"H-hello." Claire's voice was weak.

The young man lifted his head to meet her, revealing a pair of deep blue eyes. They immediately went back to the ground and he shuffled his feet.

"Hello."

"My name is Claire," She slowly gained confidence.

"I-I'm Cliff," he stammered, face reddening.

Cliff's awkwardness gave Claire a small boost of courage. Someone in town was shyer than she was around others. Suddenly feeling bold, Claire took a seat next to the young man in the pew. She dared to steal a glance at him and noticed his ears were a bright shade of scarlet.

"So… how long have you lived here in town?" Claire ventured.

Cliff looked like she was being tortured answering a simple question. "I came here a couple of months ago."

"I just came here this spring, on New Year's."

"Oh…" Cliff glanced up at Claire and their eyes met for a brief moment. He quickly stared at the ground again.

"So… Have you met Karen?" Claire desperately searched for another topic.

"Oh, yeah, Karen…" Cliff seemed relieved that Claire found something they could relate on. "Her father comes here sometimes."

"He owns the supermarket, right?" The farmer knew the answer, but she wanted to make conversation.

Cliff thought for a moment. "I believe so." He was silent for a while. "So, are you friends with Gray?"

Claire could feel her face turning pink. "G-Gray? What? F-friends? Yes, perhaps we are."

Cliff detected her flustered behavior and slowly felt confidence coming to himself. "I'm his roommate. I've seen you stop by."

"Oh!" Claire turned redder, thoroughly embarrassed that she didn't recognize him before. Every evening when she gave Gray a present in his room, she barely noticed that he shared the room with another young man. He usually hung out toward the back of his room, and he never said anything. Gray never made an effort to introduce him.

"He says that you're really nice."

Claire gasped involuntarily and covered her mouth with her hand. "That's awfully kind of him," she giggled.

The farmer glanced at Cliff and noticed he was staring at his feet again. He had run out of things to say, but Claire had heard all she needed. "Well, it was nice meeting you, Cliff."

"Yes."

"I'll see you around, okay?"

"A-alright."

Claire happily bounced out of the church, practically skipping to the library.

It was time to pay Gary a visit.

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	3. A New Rival

**Sorry for the delay in updating. **

**The action in the story is going to finally pick up!**

**Without further ado, I bring you the next chapter of The Shy Newcomer!**

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It was a fairly quick walk from the church to the library. Claire's heart fluttered with excitement and anticipation as she double-checked her rucksack for the lump of copper she had set aside for Gray. However, her positive feelings dissipated as she reached the door to the library. Claire's shaking hand hovered over the doorknob as she realized what she was going to do.

_Start a conversation with both Gray and Mary? Perhaps even flirt with Gray in front of Mary_? _Am I crazy?_ But a small smile crept across Claire's lips.

"_He says that you're really nice…" Why wouldn't he want to see me, then?_

Satisfied with her new resolve, Claire turned the doorknob and swung open the door almost violently and let herself in.

The room was empty, but the farmer could hear voices from the room above. She immediately recognized one of the voices as Gray's, and her heart pounded uncomfortably in her chest. She was aching to climb up the stairs after him, but her legs refused to move.

Claire didn't know how many minutes had passed, or if they were even hours. Her feet remained frozen to the ground as she heard a second voice enter in the conversation, which Claire identified as the librarian. She heard a giggle from Mary, then a soft chuckle from Gray. Claire never heard the blacksmith laugh before, and the fact that she hadn't caused it made her stomach churn with jealousy.

Claire snapped back into reality as the laughter stopped, and the building was silent. There were a few murmurs, and the young woman could hear two pairs of feet coming down the stairs.

She could turn away right then. If she left now and let herself out quietly, they would never know that she had been there. Claire felt almost as if she had heard something she shouldn't have, and she was terrified to meet face to face with the pair. Yet she remained frozen in front of the library desk.

Gray and Mary had come back from upstairs, and remnants of their conversation were still evident. The blacksmith had a small smile on his face, and he seemed to be trying to keep himself from laughing. The librarian was holding a thick book that resembled an encyclopedia, and her eyes were glued to Gray in a way that Claire didn't like.

"Claire! How nice it is to see you! How have you been?"

The farmer refused to meet Mary's eyes. "Oh, I've been… alright. Busy."

"That's great! That means your farm must be coming along well, I take it?"

Claire managed a nod, and her stomach did a somersault when she glanced over at Gray. The young man was playfully trying to take the book from Mary by peeling her fingers off of the cover. The librarian giggled and held the book out of his reach.

"Gray, you should know better than to pick on a girl," Mary laughed, lightly slapping his hands.

Claire felt a wave of nausea.

_This isn't going well. Not well at all._

"So, what have you two been up to?" Claire tried to remain casual, but her voice sounded strained.

"Oh, yes. I was just reading Gray part of the new chapter I have written for my novel."

"Mary's an amazing writer," Gray quickly interjected. "I think that she could actually get published someday."

As if Claire hadn't been intimidated enough! The young farmer searched for the right words to change the conversation around, but none came to mind. The room was starting to spin…

"Claire? You look rather pale. Are you alright?" The librarian quickly rushed to Claire and placed a hand on her forehead.

Claire cringed at Mary's touch. "I-I'm fine. I think I just need to get some fresh air."

_No, not now! If you leave now, then she will have won!_

"Shall I walk you back to the clinic?" Mary's eyebrows raised in concern as she took Claire's arm.

"No. I'll be fine." Claire didn't mean for her voice to sound so cold.

_At least I have my dignity._

"You really shouldn't go out alone, even if you just walk home. Gray, why don't you go with her? I'm worried."

"Really, I think I will be okay. Thank you for your concern, though." Claire could hardly believe her ears. Was that her voice? Her own voice, saying that? Rejecting a walk home from Gray?

And before she had any idea what she was doing, the farmer's feet suddenly unglued themselves from the floor, and she flew out the door, slamming it behind her.

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The moment Claire was outside, she immediately regretted refusing help from Gray or Mary. She had realized that she had traded the spinning room for a sidewalk that tilted back and forth. Why did she do that, anyway? Claire had been aching to get a chance to talk to the blacksmith. She would have gotten the chance to be alone with him. Claire blushed. She might even be able to get away with holding his arm, or leaning against him. Yet something about that approach felt so immature, so foolish.

Claire felt hot tears slide down her cheeks as she leaned against a lamp post. Perhaps the whole thing with Gray was foolish. How could she ever get him to notice her? It was nearly impossible with that librarian around.

The farmer's thoughts were distracted when she heard the noise of feet shuffling across the sidewalk towards her. Claire quickly wiped the tears away and looked up. It was Cliff, that strange guy from the church. In his arms, he carried a decorative basket full of large red apples. The basket was pretty, but shaped awkwardly, and caused Cliff to waddle as he carried it. He looked at Claire and waved shyly. The young man looked behind him for a moment, and Claire noticed Carter "hiding" behind a tree, giving him a thumbs-up. Claire rolled her eyes.

"H-hello, Claire."

"Hi, Cliff."

"I was j-just on my way to your place to deliver this basket of apples to you. They're from Carter, as a w-welcoming gift."

Claire found it strange that it had already been over three weeks since she moved to Mineral Town, and she was just now getting a welcoming gift. However, it was true that she had just introduced herself today. Three weeks in town, and she didn't know anyone or have any friends. Three weeks in town and she still hadn't gotten Gray's attention.

Cliff looked at the farmer's face in a concerned manner. "I saw you were hanging on to that lamp post pretty tight. Are you alright? You look pretty pale."

Claire could feel a lump forming in her throat. She wanted to cry. She wanted to scream and tell him, "No, I'm not okay! I'm miserable! I'm lonely!" She wanted to run behind that tree and shake Carter by the shoulders and scold him for forcing her friendship with Cliff at a time like this. She wanted to knock that silly basket of apples out of Cliff's arms and stomp on each one. Claire took a deep breath.

"I'm doing alright. J-just feeling a little dizzy. I should p-probably go home and get some food or something."

"You look like you need to sit down." Claire was stunned by the authority in his voice. Dumbfounded, she followed Cliff to the bench beside the grocery store and sat down next to him. The young man handed her an apple, and she gratefully accepted it.

Claire took a bite of her apple and a grin formed on her lips as she chewed. Honeycrisp. Her favorite. For that moment, all Claire could focus on was the perfection of that sweet apple. The lump that had formed in her throat melted away. All she had eaten for the past three weeks were turnips, bamboo shoots, and colored grass. The crunchy apple tasted so wonderful that she could have cried. She glanced up at Cliff, who was looking at her expectantly.

"Please, take an apple," Claire laughed, "They're wonderful."

Cliff took an apple from the basket and crunched into it eagerly. "Thank you."

"So… Has anything interesting happened since I last saw you?"

"It's only been half an hour since you left the church."

"Oh." Claire was shocked at how little time had passed.

"Carter wanted to give the basket to you himself, but you left before he could give it to you, and he had to go back to the confessional."

Claire nodded, and she felt a slight pang of guilt in her stomach. She really had left in a hurry, hadn't she? "Oh, I had to go and see someone," She quickly explained.

"Gray?"

Claire's stomach lurched. "How did you know that?"

The young man shrugged. "Just a lucky guess, I suppose."

"Oh."

There was an awkward silence.

"You two seem pretty close, no?"

Claire could feel her face reddening by the second. "Close? I… I dunno if we'd be c-considered that…"

"Well, he sure does talk about you a lot."

Claire laughed a little louder than she meant to. "Really? I never would have thought he'd be the type to gossip." The farmer crunched into her apple and began to swing her feet.

The young man didn't say anything in response, and Claire felt a sinking feeling in her gut. She looked at Cliff, demanding a response.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I was just thinking… This basket is kind of heavy. Do you need help carrying it back to your place? You didn't look so well earlier."

"I think that I am feeling much better now," Claire admitted. She pulled on the handle of the basket and heard a faint creak from the weight of the apples.

"You sure you got it?" Cliff protectively held the bottom of the basket.

"I'll be fine," Claire smiled. "Thank you for bringing me the apples…. And thank you… for listening."

The young man cocked his head to the side. "To what?"

"I don't know. I just needed someone to talk to. Thanks." Claire gripped her basket. "Will you please thank Carter for me?"

"Sure thing."

"Oh, and also… Would you tell Gray that I am alright and that he doesn't need to worry about me?"

"Okay."

"Oh! And… tell Gray that I said hello." Claire blushed.

"Alright."

"Bye, Cliff!"

"Bye, Claire!"

As Claire happily waddled home with that awkward basket, she only had two things on her mind: Gray certainly talked to others about her, and that she was having potatoes _and_ apples for dinner tonight.

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**Hope you enjoyed the chapter. I had to sing the praises of Honeycrisp apples. They're my favorite. Please let me know what you think of the story so far! Thank you for reading!**


	4. A Warm Meal

**Thank you everyone for your patience. I know it's a little short. I've been through surgery, exams, papers, visitors, and out of state trips, but I am back! Please read and review. 3**

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Claire was awakened the next morning to the sound of a knock on her door. In a flurry of movements, the farmer got dressed, brushed her hair, and opened the door.

"Good morning, Claire!" It was the shopkeeper's daughter. "Ready for me to show you around town?"

"Good morning, Karen." Something about the young woman's smile made Claire feel at ease. "Please, do come in."

Karen stepped inside of the small house, staring at the walls and ceiling as if she were at a museum. "Wow. Thomas really did rip you off. No other furniture? This is it?"

Claire could feel herself reddening. "This is it, right here."

Karen whirled around, noticing Claire's expression. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that to insult you. I was just saying that the mayor sure is sneaky. I've seen the ad in the paper myself, and they made the place sound wonderful." The brunette glanced around the room. "Don't get me wrong, your place is nice, but I was just expecting a little… more."

Claire sat glumly on the edge of her bed, trying to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat. "I know. But I spent all my savings on this place, so I have no other choice."

Karen took a seat next to Claire and put a hand on her shoulder. "You can't think like that. You spent your money on this place for a new start, no? Well, you're going to get a new start. It's going to be an adventure. This is a really nice town, and I'm sure you're going to love it here."

Claire found that she wasn't shuddering at Karen's touch. "Thank you, Karen."

Claire stood up abruptly. She had completely forgotten to offer Karen anything. Claire's eyes darted around her room. There was an old pitcher on the table she had filled with water from the river outside of her house, and the basket of apples sat at the other end of the table.

"Can I offer you an apple, or perhaps some water to drink?" Claire hoped she didn't sound as pathetic as she felt.

"Actually… I'm not overly fond of apples…" Karen smiled apologetically. "Oh, crud. I meant to bring you a package from the grocery store, but I completely forgot. I suppose we could pick it up later. I was planning on taking you to the inn for breakfast if you wanted. My treat."

"Oh… Are you sure you want to pay?"

"Of course!" Karen beamed.

"Alright." Claire's craving for a hot meal won over her fears of looking like a free-loader.

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Claire couldn't remember the last time she had eaten a hot meal. Between her life at the apartment and her new life on the farm, there just didn't seem to be enough time or effort available to her.

"How do you ladies like the pancakes?" The redheaded grinned at the two, her braid bobbing up and down.

"They're delicious!" Claire replied, her mouth full. "Best pancakes I've ever had!"

"That's what we like to hear!" The waitress beamed. She paused and studied Claire, who suddenly was becoming uncomfortable with the public setting. The farmer quickly wiped her mouth and set her hands in her lap. "So, you must be the new farmer girl that Gray told me about. I've seen you stop by almost every day, but you never stop to say hello to me." The redhead mock-frowned.

"Oh! I'm so sorry! It's just-!"

"Relax, Claire. She's just teasing." Karen finished her glass of apple juice and slammed it on the table a little too loudly. Karen quickly stood up as she saw a figure coming down the stairs.

Claire whirled around in her chair and felt herself blush.

"Gray! Hey, I need to talk to you. Here, come sit by us." Karen pulled open a chair on the other side of Claire and he sat down. Too embarrassed to say anything, Claire stared at the table's surface and refused to meet anyone's gaze.

"What's up? Oh, hi, Claire."

"H-hello."

Karen leaned across the table. "Okay, so I was talking to your gramps the other day, and-"

Gray sighed. "I already know where this is going, and he already told me. You're going to have to go through Won. We don't have the supplies."

Karen slammed her fists on the table. "Bull! You guys can make a friggin milking machine. Don't tell me you can't make a simple spatula! Don't tell me that's too hard for even _you_ to make!"

The shopkeeper's daughter had obviously struck a nerve. "A damn spatula is not going to help you win that contest anyway. Your dish will fail like it does every year."

Karen slammed the table again, and Claire was beginning to feel a bit crowded with the two glaring at each other.

"I dare you to say that again. I dare you." Karen's voice lowered to a threatening whisper.

"Look, I don't have time for this. I'm going to be late for work. You can ask my Grandpa for it again, but I doubt he'll be able to get you one." Gray stood up and left without another word.

"DAMMIT!" Karen punched the table one last time and buried her face in her arms.

Claire sat silently, debating whether or not to comfort Karen. She wasn't sure what the argument was about, but Claire knew that she didn't want to get caught between the two of them arguing again. She was surprised at Gray's comment on Karen's cooking, but it was true that Karen was the one who started the argument. She glanced around the room and spied Cliff sitting at the counter eating some porridge. Ann was sitting next to him, eating the same dish.

"Sorry you had to see that, Claire." Karen's sudden voice made Claire jump. "It's just that the cooking festival is coming up, and I am really looking forward to it. I made a new recipe and everything. The only problem is that I need a spatula."

"Well, you work at the grocery store, right? Can't you order one through there?" Claire suggested weakly.

One death glare from Karen made Claire sorry she had said anything.

"I don't want my parents to find out that I am getting one. My mother is convinced that I cannot cook, and she makes fun of me every time I enter the cooking contest. I want to prove her wrong. I want to show her that I am capable of making my own dish. Her and Dad are pretty much convinced that I won't be good with any of that kind of stuff…"

"Wait, what kind of stuff?" Claire boldly asked.

"Well, you know…" Karen reddened and frowned. "Let's go. Thank you for the food, Doug!" She waved at the innkeeper.

"I-it was nice meeting you," Claire quickly nodded toward Doug.

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Karen had walked Claire past the winery and in front of the mayor's house before she opened her mouth, even though it was painfully obvious that something was eating away at her.

"Housekeeping. Cleaning. Cooking. You know…. things that… _wives_ are expected to do," Karen had turned a bright shade of scarlet. "My parents are convinced that I will be the ditzy wife that doesn't know how to care for her family."

"Oh, you're thinking of getting married, then?"

Karen's face was nearly purple. "I didn't say that, now did I?"

Claire knew better than to answer this question.

And it was also apparent that Karen didn't want to stick around to talk more on the subject. She quickly found her escape. "Oh! I forgot that I have to go and get that gift I got for you. I gotta go to the supermarket, but I'll be right back!"

Before Claire could reply, Karen had already left, and Claire was abandoned in front of the mayor's house. And sure enough, Claire heard her name being called.

"Hello, Claire!"

Claire turned around. A young man with long chocolate-colored hair was coming her way.

"Hi, Cliff."

"So, what are you up to?"

"Karen was just showing me around town a bit."

"I saw you in the inn earlier…"

"Oh, yeah, I saw you too."

There was an awkward silence.

"S-so, the food's pretty good there, eh?"

Claire smiled and nodded. "Very good pancakes."

"I like pancakes, too. But I prefer savory ones."

"I've never tried those before."

Cliff paused. "T-the inn serves them on occasion… M-maybe you should try them sometime."

"When I earn more money, I hope that I can eat pancakes every day!" Claire beamed.

"You won't get sick of them?" Cliff chuckled.

"Of course not. They're my favorite."

"Well, if you come to eat at the inn again… M-maybe we could eat t-together."

"Yeah, sounds fun." Claire didn't know why that thought made her so embarrassed. What if Gray saw them eating together and he thought they were on a date? Claire immediately wished she hadn't agreed.

A smile tugged at Cliff's lips. "Well, I was just on my way to the church… W-would you like to come along?"

"Well, Karen was just showing me around the town… M-maybe some other time?"

"Or you can come along with us, and I can show you around, too. I know that you don't get out much either, Cliff." Karen appeared behind the two with a grocery bag in her hands.

The color drained from Cliff's face.

"It'll be f-u-n," Karen sang, draping an arm around Claire's shoulder.

"A-alright. I'll come along."

As Claire walked between the two villagers down the walk, she grinned as she finally realized something. She had two friends. Maybe the young farmer wasn't so alone as she had originally thought.


End file.
